brazilian brigadeiros

This isn’t the first time at the Holiday Cookie Box rodeo for these Brazilian Brigadeiros. They made their debut the last time we were living in San Francisco and absolutely stole the show. They are little bites of Brazilian love wrapped in a hug of delicate white chocolate sprinkles.

Brigadeiros are perfect for holiday entertaining as they can be made in advance, placed in the freezer and pulled out to thaw at a moment’s notice if company drops by. They’re an elegant addition to holiday cookie and candy trays and, once you get the hang of it, are pretty easy to make.

The two keys to a successful brigadeiro are consistency and quality sprinkles. One must exercise patience when cooking the batter, removing from heat only when a trail is left at the bottom of the pot and when the batter slides around the pot as a solid mass. Undercooking will render a thick ganache while overcooking will make the candies too hard to enjoy.

The sprinkles should enhance, not overpower the distinct flavor of the chocolate candy. White chocolate vermicelli, sprinkles made of solid white chocolate, are my favorite for coating the brigadeiros. Non pareils may also be used, but I would avoid generic jimmies and their artificial flavor.

Even when not being added to cookie boxes, I like to drop the finished brigadeiros into miniature cupcake liners for that extra touch of elegance.

Combine condensed milk, butter, cream, and corn syrup in a medium heavy bottom saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Add the chocolate and cocoa powder and continue to whisk to evenly distribute cocoa powder. When mixture returns to a boil, reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook, whisking constantly for approximately 10 minutes until a thick batter is formed. When ready, the whisk will leave trails in the batter leaving the bottom of the pan visible briefly until the batter comes back together. It should slide from side to side in a solid mass.

Pour batter into a bowl, careful not to scrape the sides as they will be slightly burnt and discarded. Allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating, uncovered, for at least an hour.

Place white chocolate sprinkles in a shallow bowl for rolling. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop even amounts of mixture and roll into small balls. I find that a level small cookie scoop divided in two makes the perfect sized truffles. Roll each ball in sprinkles, pressing gently to adhere in an even coat.

Transfer brigadeiros to miniature cupcake liners and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. To serve, allow to come to room temperature for best texture and flavor. May also be stored in the freezer for up to a month.